The National tribune., 1887-02-17
ANOTHER VETO.
President Cleveland Refuses 10 Sign
the Pension Bill.
Full Text or His Message on
the Subject.

the relief Of dependent parents aud honorably
discharged soldiers and sailors who are now
disabled and dependent upon their own labor
1 for support"
This is the first general bill that has been
sanctioned by the Congress since the close Of the
late civil war, permitting pension 10 the soldiers
and sailors who served in that war upon the
ground of service and present disability alone,
and in the entire absence Of any injuries re-
oeived by the casualties or incidents Of such
service
While by almost constant legislation since
the close Of this war there has been oompensa-
tion awarded for every possible injury received
as result Of military service of the Union
army, and while a great number OF laws
passed for that purpose have been admins
tered with great liberality, and have been
supplemented by numerous private acts TO
reach special cases. there has not, until now,
been an avowed departure from the principle
thus far adhered 10 respecting Union soldiers,
that the bounty of the Government in the way
of pensions is generously bestowed when
granted 20 those who in this military service,
and in the line Of military duty, have, to n
greater or less extent been disabled.
But it is a mistake 10 suppose that service
pensions, such as are permitted by the second
section of the bill under consideration, are new
10 our legislation. In 1Sls 35 years after the
close of the Revolutionary war, they were
granted to the soldiers engaged in that struggle,
conditional upon service until the end of the
war, or for a term not less than nine months,
and requiring every beneficiary under the act
TO be one "who is, or hereafter by reason of his
reduced circumstances in life shall be, in need
of assistance from his country for support"
Another law of a like character was passed in
lS2S, requiring service until the close of the
Revolutionary war; and still another, passed
in 1882, provided for those persons not included
In the previous statute, but who served two
years at some time during the war, and giving
proportiOnate sum TO those who had served
not less than six months.
A service pension law was passed for the ben
eft of the soldiers of 1872 in the year ISL
SO years after the close Of that war-which re-
quired only 60 days service; and another was
passed in lS7S-63 years after the war-re-
quiring only Ia DAYS service.
The service pension bill passed at this session
OF Congress, 39 years after the close Of the
Mexican war, for the benefit of the soldiers of
that war, requires either some degree of disa-
bility or dependency, or that the claimant
under its provisions should be 62 wears of age: /:
and in either case that he should have served
90 days or been actually engaged in battle.
1t will be seen that the bill of 1878 and the
Mexican pension bill being thus passed nearer
the close OF the wars in which its benefcaries
were engaged than the Others-one 35 years
and the other 80 years after the termination of
such wars-embraced persons who were quite
advanced in age, assumed 10 be comparatively
few in number, and whose circumstances, de-
pendence and disabilities were clearly defined
and could be quite easily fixed.
The other laws referred to appear TO have
been passed at a time SO remote from the mill
tary service of the persons which they en-
braced that their extreme age alone was deemed
TO supply presumption OF dependency and
need
The number Of enlistments in the Reyolu-
tionary war is stated 10 be 309, ,79l, and in the
war of 1872 570,622; but it is estimated that
or account OF repeated re -enlistments the num-
ber of individuals engaged in these wars did
not exceed One-half Of the number represented
by these figures. In the war with Mexico the
number OF Ofenlistments is reported TO be 1920
which represents greater proportion of indi-
viduals engaged than the reported enlstments
in the two previous wars.
The number of pensions granted under all
laws TO soldiers Of the Revolution is given at
62069; TO soldiers Of the war Of 1912 aud their
widows, co, l78, and TO soldiers Of the Mexican
war and their widows up 10 June 80, 1855,
1913. The latter pensions were granted 10 the
soldiers of a war involving much hardship for
disabilities incurred as a result OF such service,
and it was not till within the last month that
the few remaining survivors were awarded
service pension.
% years ago; the number Of men furnished for
Its prosecution is stated 10 be 2,722. .408. No
corresponding number Of statutes have ever
been passed TO cover every kind of injury or
disability incurred in the military service of
any war. Under these statutes SCI SIG pensions
have been granted from the year 1861 20 June
30 1856 and more than $500 pensioners have
been added TO the rolls by private acts passed
TO meet cases. many Of them of questionable
merit, which the general laws did not cover.
On the first day OF july 1856, 365, ,763 PEN
si0ners Of all classes were upon the pension
rolls, of whom 3O5, COS were survivors Of the war
of the rebellion, and their widows and depend
ents. For the year ending June 30, 1887, $75,-
100000 have been appropriated for the payment
OF pensions, and the amount expended for that
purpose from 1861 10 July j, 1856, is $S0S GA
Sll5l.
While annually paying out such vast sum
for pensions already granted, il rs now proposed,
by the bill under consideration, to award a
service pension 10 the soldiers of all wars in
which the United States has been engaged, in
cluding Of course the war of the rebellion, and
10 pay those entitled TO the benefits Of the act
the sum Of Sl2 per month.
80 far il relates 10 soldiers Of the late civil
war, the bounty il affords them is given l3 years
earlier than IL has been furnished 10 the SOL
diers OF any other war, and before large ma
jority Of its benefciaries have advanced In are
beyond the strength and vigor Of the prime of
life
IL exacts only military or naval service of
three months without any requirement of ac-
tual engagement with the enemy in battle and
without a subjcction 10 any Of the actual
dangers Of war.
The pension itawards is allowed 10 enlisted
men who have not suffered the least injury.
disability, loss or damage of any kind incurred
IN or IN any degree reierable 10 their military
service, including those who never reached the
front at all and those discharged from rendez-
vous at the close Of the war, if discharged three
months after enlistment Under the last call
Of the President for troops, in December, 1864,
1903 men were furnished who were thus dis
charged.
The section allowing this pension does how
ever, require, beside a service of three months
and an honorable discharge, that those seeking
the benefit OF the act shall be such AS are now
or may hereafter be suffering from mental or
! physical disability not the result Of their own
vicious habits or gross carelessness, which in
capscitates them for the performance of labor
1 i'm such degree as TO render them unable TO
earn a support, aud who are dependent upon
their daily labor for support"
IL provides further that such persons shall,
upon making proof Of the fact, " be placed on
the list of invalid pensioners Of the United
States and be entitled TO receive for such total
inability 10 procure their subsistence by daily
labor, $40 per month and such pension shall
commence from tho date Of the filing Of the ap-
plication in the Pension Office, upon proof that
| the disability then existed. and continue dur
| ing the existence of the same in the degree
herein provided: ProUided, That persons who
are now receiving pensions under existing laws,
/ or NhOse claims are pepding In tho Dancioo